Chapter 31: Meeting Xu Qinghe Again

At the branch bureau, Tong Feng and his two companions gathered around the bulletin board, criticizing the photo of Han Ling as unflattering and questioning the photographer's lack of skill.

"I could have taken a much better picture of him," Sun Yujie remarked.

Yang Rui cast him a sideways glance. "You? Han Ling would have been humiliated in front of colleagues from the entire city."

Sun Yujie remained confident. "Not a chance. Have you forgotten that photography is my hobby?"

Yang Rui just chuckled.

Tong Feng, more focused on Han Ling's honors, expressed a mix of joy and sighing. "Early regularization and a personal Third-Class Merit—I never expected Han Ling to become this remarkable. You really can't compare yourself to others."

Yang Rui nodded in agreement. "He truly is impressive. I never realized it before. Excellent people carry themselves with a different aura; he looks much more handsome than before."

"Huh?" Sun Yujie interjected hastily. "Not impressive, not handsome. What's so great about him? Don't you dare think like that."

Yang Rui shot back, "Are you sick in the head?" She then walked away.

Sun Yujie stood there sheepishly before pulling Tong Feng aside to whisper, "You're close with Han Ling. Make sure he doesn't have any designs on Yang Rui."

Tong Feng looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Han Ling likes the school beauty. What does that have to do with Yang Rui? Yang Rui was right—are you actually sick in the head?"

"Right, right, the school beauty," Sun Yujie said, still uneasy. "When you see Han Ling, tell him not to give up. Persistence pays off; the school beauty will be moved one day. There's a bulletin board at the Municipal Bureau, too, right? Lin Rong must have seen it. She’s probably swooning right now."

Tong Feng: "..."

He hadn't been close with Sun Yujie before they joined the branch, but now that they were friends, it was clear the man was a hopeless romantic—a "love-brain." It didn't affect his work, but his IQ seemed to plummet once he clocked out.

After a moment of silence, Tong Feng felt a flicker of mischief. "Yujie, I heard the captains chatting the other day. They said there's a possibility Han Ling might be transferred to this branch in the future."

With that, he walked away, leaving the paranoid Sun Yujie to spiral into his own imagination.

"What? There are always treacherous people plotting against me!" Sun Yujie thought, desperately wanting to scream at Han Ling: *Stay away from me!*

Meanwhile, other branches and police stations were also seeing the bulletin board featuring Han Ling. For his classmates, the contrast was stark. They had all started at the same line, so why had he taken off? It was clear that academic grades from the police academy meant little; one had to bridge theory with practice. Knowledge had to be applied to case investigation, or it was useless.

This was the true test of individual ability. As time passed, the gap between them would only widen.

At the Wanglou Police Station, they held a lively ceremony for Han Ling, handing him his certificate and medal. Now, with a Third-Class Merit to his name, Han Ling carried an aura of prestige, greeted by warm smiles from his colleagues wherever he went. More than half the space on the bulletin board was dedicated to his commendation. The station needed a "star" officer to boost morale, and it was evident that everyone's enthusiasm for work had increased significantly.

Sister Zhang grew even more interested in Han Ling. With his early promotion and merit, she felt a sense of pride in acting as a matchmaker for such an outstanding young man; if she could pull it off, it would be quite an achievement. Everyone defined "achievement" differently, and Sister Zhang, who spent her days dealing with the community, was passionate about this.

"Little Han, don't delay. I've been through it all..."

"That's enough, Sister Zhang," Zhu Yue stepped in firmly this time. "Han Ling is in a period of rapid career growth. He has no time for blind dates. As his mentor, I've set a rule: no dating for five years!"

Sister Zhang glared at Zhu Yue and walked off, clearly annoyed, though it was unclear if she had given up.

Zhu Yue took Han Ling to the bulletin board, quite satisfied with the write-up. The Municipal Bureau's publicity department certainly knew how to craft words—the tone and rhetoric were perfectly motivating. As a mentor, he felt immense pride.

"Don't listen to Sister Zhang. You're young; there's no rush to date," Zhu Yue said. "What kind of people could she introduce? The best ones come later. I heard a great beauty joined the Criminal Investigation Detachment at the Municipal Bureau. Do you know her?"

Lin Rong flashed into Han Ling’s mind. He nodded. "I know her. She's the school beauty."

"The school beauty?" Zhu Yue was surprised, then realized. "No wonder word reached me. Just use her as your standard for a partner; my apprentice is definitely worthy... Wait. I take that back. Use her as your standard."

Zhu Yue’s gaze shifted, and Han Ling looked over as well.

At the entrance of the station, a girl stood wearing a ponytail. A clean, white sweater revealed a slender, fair neck and delicate collarbones, while light blue jeans accentuated her graceful waist and hips. Xu Qinghe walked quickly in her canvas shoes, radiating a youthful and vibrant energy. Her style of dress was much like when he had seen her at the internet cafe, only a bit thicker for the season.

It was rare for Zhu Yue to see such a beautiful girl. He turned to check Han Ling’s reaction, only to find him frowning. *Huh? That’s not the right reaction for an apprentice. We’re all men here—be open about it, what’s there to be afraid of?*

"Hello, I'd like to report a crime," Xu Qinghe said, stopping in front of them. Her eyes landed on Han Ling, and she said in surprise, "It's you? You're a police officer?"

Zhu Yue, surprised they knew each other, asked, "A friend of yours?"

Han Ling shook his head. "No, I've just happened to see her twice."

"Oh," Zhu Yue replied. What a coincidence—fate, truly.

"Hello, what happened?"

Xu Qinghe said, "My phone was stolen near the entrance of Fengshang Hui."

Fengshang Hui was a shopping center in the Gu'an District of Qingchang City. Not particularly large, it was a hotspot for pickpocketing and sat right on the edge of the Wanglou station’s jurisdiction. Normally, petty theft fell under the jurisdiction of the Public Order Section.

"Stolen phone, huh? Go inside and report it; the colleagues in the Public Order Section will follow up," Zhu Yue said, pointing toward the intake hall. Then, thinking of something, he glanced at his apprentice and changed his tune. "We are in the Criminal Investigation Section. Since you know each other, Han Ling, why don't you..."

The girl had come to report the crime alone, which suggested she likely didn't have a boyfriend. Regardless of the outcome, getting to know her better couldn't hurt. He felt his apprentice deserved a girl like this; how would he know if there was a chance if he didn't try?

"Pickpocketing is handled by the Public Order Section," Han Ling interrupted, testing the situation with a rejection.

Seeing his apprentice show little initiative, Zhu Yue didn't press the matter, deciding to ask him later. "Fine, go inside and file your report," he told the girl.

Xu Qinghe pleaded, "Could your Criminal Investigation Section help me look into it? It’s a Motorola Aura, worth over twenty thousand."

"How... how much?!" Zhu Yue was startled. Once he was certain he hadn't misheard, he became serious. "Han Ling, here is an opportunity for you to handle a case independently. Get the details immediately, do your best to recover the stolen phone, and catch the suspect. That is an order! If you need support while investigating, contact the patrol unit."

Once the amount involved was confirmed, Zhu Yue pushed aside thoughts of romance and focused entirely on the case. A theft of that value required the intervention of the Criminal Investigation Section. He had absolute faith in Han Ling, who had performed excellently for over half a year; he no longer viewed him as a rookie. If Han Ling couldn't find it, no one else in the Criminal Investigation Section would have much luck either.

Han Ling stared at Xu Qinghe for a long moment, then smiled. "Alright. Go ahead and file the report for theft; I’ll contact my colleague and we’ll head out immediately."

For a stolen phone, there was no need to send too many people for the initial inquiry—two were enough. He would take Zhang Silei. If the case proved complex, they could always add more personnel later.

This was the third time.

This was the third time Xu Qinghe had appeared before him, and the intent was becoming increasingly obvious. He was going to find out exactly what she was after.